Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has urged authorities to speed up the completion of water supply projects in Gwadar, stressing the importance of using all available resources to provide immediate relief to residents dealing with a severe water shortage. The provincial government has implemented a combination of short-term and long-term plans to tackle Gwadar’s water crisis.
During a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta, chaired by Chief Minister Bugti, practical strategies were discussed to address the water challenges in Gwadar and surrounding areas. Key officials like Provincial Assembly Member Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary for Development Zahid Saleem, and Secretary Finance Imran Zarkoon attended the meeting. Senior representatives, including the Director General of Gwadar Port Authority Noor Baloch, Gwadar Development Authority DG Moin-ur-Rehman, and Commissioner Makran Division Qadir Bakhsh Pirkani, also joined via video link.
Officials provided updates on the progress of ongoing water supply projects, highlighting challenges, including the limited capacity of the Gwadar desalination plant due to electricity shortages. Efforts are underway to increase the plant’s production to 300,000 gallons daily, with a target of 600,000 gallons per day within three days. Alternative energy sources will be used to ensure uninterrupted operations, allowing the plant to run at full capacity.
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Chief Minister Bugti called for the swift completion of pipeline projects from Shadi Kaur Dam within the next 15 days and stressed that delays or negligence would not be tolerated. A committee led by the Chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority has been formed to oversee progress and deliver daily updates to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. The Chief Minister emphasized that access to clean water is not just an administrative duty but a basic human necessity.
Emergency measures are being implemented to accelerate ongoing projects. Addressing the persistent power outages caused by electrical imports from Iran, Chief Minister Bugti pledged to take up the matter with the Prime Minister and the Power Division to find sustainable solutions to the power issues impacting Gwadar.
All departments involved have been instructed to ensure immediate relief and timely completion of development projects. The Chief Minister assured that he would personally monitor the progress of water supply initiatives, reaffirming the government’s firm commitment to addressing the needs of Gwadar’s residents.
